Bike boulevard project, parade postponed until spring

COLUMBIA — The bike boulevard parade that was to be held on Nov. 21 has been postponed until spring along with construction of the pilot project.

GetAbout Columbia and residents of the Benton-Stephens neighborhood were planning to hold the parade Saturday morning to celebrate the creation of Columbia’s first bike boulevard on Windsor and Ash streets. Organizers set a date and time for Mayor Darwin Hindman to conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the parade. Members of GetAbout Columbia discovered last week that their parade permit, which had previously been accepted, was denied because of the MU football game against Iowa State.

The Columbia City Council approved the bike boulevard on Oct. 5, under the condition that it remains a “pilot project” for now. The main goal in building the bike boulevard is to give motorists and bikers the opportunity to share the road safely.

The project plans to eliminate the left turns to and from College Avenue onto Windsor and Ash streets, as well as the right turns from College Avenue to Ash Street. This project also includes the construction of a pedestrian safety island down the middle of College Avenue. GetAbout Columbia plans to paint bike lanes and shared lane lines on Windsor and Ash streets.

The bike boulevard planning committee has decided to hold the parade and begin construction on the boulevard in the spring.

Kip Kendrick, president of the Benton-Stephens neighborhood association, and the members of GetAbout Columbia plan to keep the community updated on any proposed dates.

Those with questions about the Windsor-Ash Bike Boulevard may contact GetAbout Columbia project manager Ted Curtis at ctcurtis@gocolumbiamo.com or Kip Kendrick at kip.kendrick@gmail.com.